Years and years ago, the family could tell we had driven across New Hampshire's state line because we were suddenly enveloped in a dark and cool forested roadway.
The same feeling was experienced later that day as we drove down Wolfeboro's dark and cool
Forest Road.
Driving south towards Alton and Chichester, the roadside trees were the same density as today's roadway at
East of Suez restaurant. (Or the present drive to Middleton).
About ten years ago, on my first Spring hop to Wolfeboro, I saw
both Moose Mountain and Rattlesnake Island for the first time.
The reason was that all those roadside trees had been decimated--for the convenience of electricity! (I had accepted temporary losses of electricity as the price of living in a Woodland Wonder).
Ever notice that
Wolfeboro Town Hall is Photoshopped with all the utility lines made to disappear? (Today's headlines indicate that both gas-stoves and air-conditioning are in peril).
The proliferation of "self-storage" warehousing (and seasonal boat storage)--where
all trees are removed--hasn't helped the state's rural image.
A major tree-clearing of a lot near our place was recently accomplished by the cranes and heavy trucks marked, "Urban Tree Cutters".
About 15 years ago, New Hampshire tourism-advertising celebrated the state as,
"95% trees and the rest is water". Maybe that same tourism agency is scratching their heads for a follow-up commercial suggesting,
"We still have water".
